Acetylene-gas generator.



G. W. FIBDLER & I. BISGHOP.

. Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

B-BHEBTS-SHEET 1 with use e. w. PIEDLER & T. BISGHOF. AGETYLENB GAS GENERATOR. APPLIOATIONIILED FBB..28, 190B.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

2 in one:

am rs anoentovd 6mm atkozmgd GUSTAVE W. FIEDLER AND THEODOR BISCHOF, OF BEVIER, MISSOURI.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed February 28, 1908. Serial No. 418,376.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, GUSTAVE W. FIED- LER andTHEoDoR BISCHOF, citizens of the United States, residing at; Bevier, in the county of Macon and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification. Y v This invention comprises improvements in acetylene gas generating machines of the class designed chieflyfor use in connection with buildings, suchas stores, cottages, farmhouses, or the like, not situated conveniently so as to be supplied with gas by any general gas supply system.

In carrying out the invention the machine constructed in accordance therewith is entirely automatic in its 0 eration,in enerating the gas which is use mainly for lighting purposes, and various advantageous features .of construction are provided to increase to a maximum extent the efliciency and practicality of the mechanism. p

One of the important features of the invention resides in the provision of auxiliary gas generators which supply a suitable gas holder or gasometer, and peculiar connections whereby either of the generators may be cut off from operative connection with the gas holder, for the purpose of replenishing the supply of carbid to such generator, or for other purposes, the operative generator,

however, being arrangedto maintain a sufficient quantity of gas in the holder for working purposes, under all conditions of service.

For a full understanding of the invention, including its advantages and mode of operation, reference is to be had to the following detail description and the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the apparatus embodying the principal features of the invention; Fig. 2' is a front elevation showing one of the generating tanks open Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view; Fig. 4 is a horizontal section looking downward and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the carbid tanks or receptacles.

Similar parts are referred to in the following detail description and indicated on the drawings by the same reference characters.

Specifically describing the invention, the apparatus constructed in accordance therewith is of that t pe of gas generators in which a suitable gas older is provided, gas being supplied thereto from a generating tank in which is arranged a suppl of carbid, the gas being generated by supplying water to the said tank intermittently, or at such intervals of time, as may be required in order to maintain the uantity of gas in the holder sufficient for a l purposes of use, the gas being replenished to the holder by automatic operation of the machine.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 designates the gas holder in which is mounted the bell 2, the latter being guided in its usual vertical movement by-means of rods 3 secured at the upper ends thereof to the top of the bell and extending downwardly exterior to the holder 1 through tubular guide members 4 which are applied to the outer sides of said holder. The holder is mounted upon a stand which is of special construction and comprises su porting legs 5. Two of the legs 5 are integra 1y formed with a horizontal bar 6 and the third leg extends downwardly from a bar 7 one end of which is pivotally connected at 8 with the middle portion of bar 6, the outer portion of the bar 7 being detachably secured by a fastening 9 to the bottom of the gasholder or gasometer. Tie rods 10 are emp oyed to secure the gas holder 1 to the supporting stand therefor, said tie rods being vertically arranged and provided at the upper ends with hooks 11 adapted to engage over the upper end of the holder 1. The lower ends of the tie rods 10 pass through those. ortions of the bars 6 and 7 which proj ect slightly outwards from the holder 1, nuts 12 being screwed upon the lower extremities of the rods and firmly fastening the same to said bars. It will be readily apparent that by removing the nuts 12, the rods 10 may be disenga ed from the holder 1 and the latter removed from its stand or support. The bars 6 and 7 also may be folded together and the partsof the machine may thus be arranged'in a comparatively small space, which is particularly advantageous for shipping, storing, orlike pur oses.

Arranged beneat the gas holder 1 are spaced enerators or tanks 13, the latter being preferably cylindrical in form and provided at the front ends thereof with removable heads 14, whereby access may be had to the interior of the generators. The heads or closures 14 are secured to the generatin tanks 13 by means of pivoted or hinge clamp plates 15, each Iplate 15 being secured atone end to a side 0 the tank u on which itis mounted, the free end of the p ate being adapted to be engaged by a small pivoted bail or loop 16fastened to the opposite side of said tank. A clamp screw 17 is mounted upon each plate 15 and is adapted to engage the adjacent head or closure 14 so that the latter may be effectively secured in position, a suitable gasket 18 being interposed between each closure and the portion of the tank with which same engages. The generators 13 may be of any suitable size, according to the other parts of the machine, and the desires of the manufacturer, each generator receiving therein a carbid receptacle or pan 19. The receptacles 19 are each divided into a plurality of cells 19 which form separate compartments each of which contains a predetermined quantity or charge of carbid. The partitions 19 between the cells 19 are formed with recesses 19 at the upper edge portions thereof whereby water received in one of said cells is adapted to overflow into the next cell through the recess portions 19 of the partitions 19 as will be more fully described hereinafter. The receptacles 19 and the heads or closures 14 are provided with suitable handles for manipulation thereof. The generators 13 are independently connected by pipes 20 and 20 with the gas holder 1, said pipes extending from the tops of the generators upwardly through the bottom of the gas holder and terminate near the upper end of the latter, at a point above the normal level of water which is contained in the gas holder and which establishes the water seal between the bell 2 and said holder. Valves 21 and 21 are connected with the pipes 20 and 20' respectively being located ust below the holder 1 and adapted to control the passage of gas from the generators into the holder. Mounted upon the front portion of the holder 1 is a water receptacle 22 from the bottom of which a water pipe 23 leads downwardly and extends laterally beneath the holder 1. The lower end of the pipe 23 is connected by branch pipes 24 and 24 with the generators 13, the said branch pipes are provided with independent controlling valves 25 and 25 respectively. In the length of the water pipe 23, and a short distance below the receptacle 22 is located a valve 26 which is normally held closed by means of a spring 27, one end of the latter being secured to an arm 28 pro j ecting outwardly from the holder 1, and the other end portion of said spring extending around the valve spindle and being secured at its extremity to the outer end of the operating handle 29 of said valve. As illustrated, the spring 27 is constructed of flat metal and bent into a U-form, the end secured to the arm 28 being passed through a slot in the same. With the arm 28 thus located, it serves not only as a support for the station ary end of the spring but also constitutes a positive stop limiting the downward movement of the gas bell 2 by reason of contact therewith of the handle 29. But for such stop for the bell and valve operating devices the weight of the bell would tend either to strain the valve or else turn the same to too great an extent. 7o Pivotally connected with the outer end of the handle 29 is a vertically arranged actuating rod 30 the upper end portion of which passes through the guide loop 31 projecting outwardly from the top of the holder 1. The rod 30 projects some distance above the holder 1 and its upper end is adapted to be engaged by an arm 32 which projects outwardly from and is substantially secured to the top of the gas bell 2. The arm 32 is so adapted to strike the rod 30 when the bell 2 descends to a predetermined point in its movement, the action causing downward movement of the rod 30 opening the valve 213 and permitting the water in the receptacle 22 $5 to pass through the )ipe 23 to either of the generators 13, accor ing to which one is being used. Extending through the side of the holder 1 and upwardly within the same is an outlet pipe 33 which is connected by suitable piping with the dwelling or other building which is supplied by the gas machine. The upper end of the pipe 33 terminates at its upper end at a point about in the same horizontal plane as are the upper terminals of the 215 pipes 20 and 20.

A short horizontal brace is preferably used to connect the rear end portion of the generators together, the generators 13 being more securely held in position by this means. A suitable draw oil cook 34 is arranged at the lower end of the gas holder and is employed whenever necessary to drain the water or contents of the holder for purposes of cleaning same, or the like.

In the general operation of the machine, the parts being arranged ready for use, it will be apparent that as gas is used from the gas holder 1 the pressure is reduced and the gas bell 2 descends until the arm 32 thereof comes into contact with the actuating rod 30 the latter being forced downwardly and thereby opening the valve 26. Assuming that only one of the generators 13 is being used, the water supply valve for said generator will be open and the valve controlling the gas passing to the holder 1 will also be opened. Under such conditions water will pass from the pipe 23 to the last mentioned generator when the valve 26 is opened and as soon as the liquid reaches the carbid in the carbid receptacle, the first supply of gas will be generated and will replenish the supply in the holder or gasometer 1 whereby the pressure in the latter will be increased and the gas bell 2 will move upwardly until the arm 32 is disengaged from the rod 30, valve 26 being thus permitted to close under the action of the spring 27. The above operation takes place at intervals of time until the gas producing properties of the carbid in the receptacle 19 of the generator being used are about exhausted. This will be apparent be cause the lights in the dwelling supplied by the machine will burn low indicating the low pressure in the holder 1 and the fact that the supply of carbid must be replenished. Under such conditions the operator will connect the other generator 13 with the gas holder 1 and with the water receptacle 22, by opening the controlling valves in" the pipe connections between these parts, and the gas in the gas holder will be replenished from the generator which is now placed in operation, While the controlling valves of the generator whose supply of carbid'is practically exhausted will be turned off and the operator may then open such generator by displacing the head or closure 14, drainthe same ofthewater contents therein which may be received in the drip pan 35, and then the carbid receptacle 19 will be removed and the charges of carbid in the cells 19 renewed. This done the cari bid receptacle will be replaced in the generator from which it was taken and this generator closed preparatory to its use, after the other generator has become inefiective be- 7 cause of the necessity of replenishing its supply of carbid.

, In view of the foregoing it will be apparent that under ordinary conditions of service it is not likely that the users of the machine comprising this invention will be deprived of a ,supply of gas, by reason of the provision of the auxiliary generators one of which is always ready for connection with the gas holder when the gas producing contents of the other are about exhausted. This is an extremely important feature of the invention looking at the same from the standpoint of actual use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

In an acetylene gas generator, the combination of a holder, a water receptacle secured thereto, generating means located beneath the said holder, a water pipe leading from said receptacle downward y to said generating means, a rotary valve in said water pipe, a U-shaped spring to normally maintain said valve in one position, a stop arm secured to said holder, one end of said spring being secured thereto, said valve including an operating handle to which the other end of said spring is attached, a gas bell within said holder, and devices between the bell and said valve handle whereby the valve is moved into its other position against the tension of the spring, such latter movement being limited by the aforesaid stop arm.

In testimony whereof we affix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

GUSTAVE W. FIEDLER. THEODOR BISOHOF.

Witnesses:

JOHN ROMAHN, ROBERT Rt'ioKER. 

